THE MAN dubbed Britain's unluckiest punter after a disqualified winning horse cost him nearly é1 million has died.

THE MAN dubbed Britain's unluckiest punter after a disqualified winning horse cost him nearly é1 million has died.

Newcastle pensioner Jack Lee thought he had clinched é860,000 after correctly forecasting the winners of six races required for the é2 Tote Scoop6 bet.

Sadly for former stablelad Jack, one of his horses, Babodana, was controversially disqualified at Newmarket.

Only a week later, on November 6, and thanks to Jack's misfortune, Irlam-based super punter Stuart Bolland, incredibly picked six winners and took the total Tote Scoop6 fund, which had subsequently swelled to more than é1m.

Mr Bolland had placed 240 Scoop6 bets, each worth é2, at Fred Done's Cadishead branch in Salford and could have won more in a bonus race last Saturday.

Respect

Before that race Mr Bolland had pledged some consolation money to Jack after hearing what had happened just a week earlier.

Sadly, Mr Bolland's selection was beaten into third place.

Despite that Fred Done's had decided to award Mr Bolland a further é30,000, which he agreed to share with lifelong punter Jack.

A formal event had been planned to take place today at the Warrington headquarters of Bet Fred, where the two men would be provided with their winnings.

Done's confirmed this event has now been cancelled, out of respect for Jack Lee.

A spokesperson said: "We are going to completely pull the event.

"Fred Done and his staff and Stuart Bolland are too upset to proceed with today's event out of respect to Mr Lee. Naturally all our thoughts are with Jack's family at this time."